HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Jefferson County, Wisconsin (FY 2026)
$1,156 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Jefferson County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Jefferson is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,156
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,040 to $1,272
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$46,240
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Wisconsin
23rd of 72
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Jefferson moves to $1,209. That's up 5%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Jefferson actually rent for?
Search any address in Jefferson for a rent estimate built from nearby comps, with the HUD figure right next to it.
FY 2026 Fair Market Rents
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $797 | $717 to $877 | $31,880 | $15.33/hr | +3.6% |
| 1 bedroom | $917 | $825 to $1,009 | $36,680 | $17.63/hr | +4.7% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,156 | $1,040 to $1,272 | $46,240 | $22.23/hr | +3.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,530 | $1,377 to $1,683 | $61,200 | $29.42/hr | +3.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,536 | $1,382 to $1,690 | $61,440 | $29.54/hr | +3.2% |
5 to 8 bedrooms (PropMetrics estimates)
HUD stops at four bedrooms. These add 15% of the four-bedroom rent per extra bedroom. It's our estimate, not a HUD number.
| Bedrooms | Estimated FMR | Payment standard |
|---|---|---|
| 5 bedroom Estimate | $1,766 | $1,589 to $1,943 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,997 | $1,797 to $2,197 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,227 | $2,004 to $2,450 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,458 | $2,212 to $2,704 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2026 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Fair Market Rent is HUD's estimate of what a modest, decent unit rents for in an area, utilities included. It's set once a year and runs October to September. For FY 2026 that's October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. In Jefferson, that runs from $797 for a studio up to $1,536 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Jefferson sits outside any HUD metro area, its rate is a county-wide figure built from local rents. One number covers every address in the county, Ixonia included.
Among Wisconsin's 72 counties, Jefferson ranks 23rd for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 14% above the state median of $1,010 and about 14% above the national median county at $1,018. About 85,932 people live here, 20th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,070 in 53156 (Palmyra) and $1,340 in 53036 (Ixonia), with the 10 ZIP codes in between. Housing authorities in HUD-designated metros use those ZIP rates instead of the county rate. Everywhere else the ZIP numbers show where rents actually sit, and the county rate stays the official standard.
What a voucher pays here
The voucher doesn't pay the FMR itself. It pays the payment standard. Housing authorities set it anywhere from 90% to 110% of FMR, which puts a two-bedroom standard in Jefferson somewhere between $1,040 and $1,272. The tenant pays roughly 30% of their income, the voucher covers the rest up to the standard, and the PHA won't approve a rent above what comparable unassisted units get.
$1,156 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $46,240 a year. Put another way, $22 an hour full time.
Worked example for a two-bedroom, assuming the rent equals the payment standard. Tenant pays 30% of monthly income, HUD's housing assistance payment covers the rest.
| Monthly household income | Tenant pays (30%) | HAP at 90% ($1,040) | HAP at 100% ($1,156) | HAP at 110% ($1,272) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $290 | $406 | $522 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $72 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,122) to FY 2026 ($1,156). Since FY 2020 it's up 29% in total, about 4.3% a year. The Wisconsin median moved up 1% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $595 | $687 | $897 | $1,236 | $1,312 | — |
| FY 2021 | $595 | $686 | $897 | $1,235 | $1,310 | 0.0% |
| FY 2022 | $631 | $721 | $949 | $1,293 | $1,332 | +5.8% |
| FY 2023 | $671 | $763 | $1,004 | $1,370 | $1,384 | +5.8% |
| FY 2024 | $719 | $812 | $1,061 | $1,415 | $1,420 | +5.7% |
| FY 2025 | $769 | $876 | $1,122 | $1,482 | $1,488 | +5.7% |
| FY 2026 | $797 | $917 | $1,156 | $1,530 | $1,536 | +3.0% |
| FY 2027 | $842 | $958 | $1,209 | $1,635 | $1,652 | +4.6% |
Nearby counties
Waukesha County
$1,33825 mi · pop 407,290
Dodge County
$1,08026 mi · pop 89,032
Rock County
$1,24631 mi · pop 163,817
Walworth County
$1,20632 mi · pop 105,127
Dane County
$1,69433 mi · pop 559,891
Washington County
$1,33834 mi · pop 136,842
Columbia County
$1,19539 mi · pop 58,272
Milwaukee County
$1,33840 mi · pop 933,063
Questions people ask
$1,156 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $797 for a studio, $917 for one bedroom, $1,530 for three and $1,536 for four.
Tools for this county
Fair Market Rent lookup
Look up any ZIP code's Small Area FMR by bedroom count.
Section 8 rent calculator
Work out the payment standard and tenant share for a specific rent.
What is Fair Market Rent?
How HUD calculates FMR and what it means for landlords.
Rent affordability calculator
See what income a household needs for a given rent.
What does a rental in Jefferson actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Jefferson for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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